Move It or Lose It!!

I learned a really important lesson a couple months ago, the hard way, which is usually the way we learn things of real importance it seems!?!  We brought our computer in to the computer clinic to get rid of a nasty virus.  Maybe it was H1N1!  I think they had to re-install Windows or something and unfortunately, the technician inadvertently deleted all of our documents and photos.  Like permanently.  I couldn't believe it.  How could that happen?  I was very angry and wanted to punch someone.

Anger soon gave way to tears.  We didn't have the photos saved anywhere else.  I felt like I was the one who had been punched in the stomach.  Like I imagine it would feel to lose your most valuable possessions in a house fire or flood.  All your memories from the last 10 years just gone.  The pit of despair.  I'm exagerating a little, but not a lot.  Ask Bill- I was in a terrible funk for a couple of days.

I began searching anywhere I could think of.  I had printed a few photos here and there, whew, and I had saved a few to CD's, whew.  I found a few I had saved on the Walmart site thinking I would make prints but never did, whew.  I called the web site (PhotoMax) where I had stored photos for a few years but had ended my subscription over 8 months ago.  The man on the phone heard desperation in my voice and said "Let me see if I can find them."  He did!  They were still on a server somewhere and he graciously re-opened my account so I could get them back.  I was very happy!!!

I think I have recovered about 70-75% of our photos, but there are still some gaps.  If you have some photos of our family that you wouldn't mind sending us that would be awesome!

Well, the moral of this story is simple:  Computers crash, stuff is lost, emotions are extreme. 

SAVE YOUR PHOTOS in other places besides just your computer hard drive!!  We finally bought an external hard drive and I think it will be worth every penny in peace of mind alone.